The present invention relates to packing and packaging apparatus for protecting articles which are placed within containers, such as standard paperboard boxes.
Typically, when fragile items, such as electronic appliances and the like, are transported, for example during the manufacturing process, or from the manufacturer to the distributor or retailer, the items are shipped in paperboard boxes. The boxes will have internal dimensions greater than the external dimensions of the article being shipped so that packing material may be placed around the item, in order to isolate the item from shock which may result during rough handling or incidents during shipping. A typical packing method involves the use of inserts made of polystyrene foam, which may be either affixed to paperboard support members, or which may be formed so as to partially surround and conform to the contours of the article being packed.
Although preformed polystyrene foam may provide protection from shock, the use of such preformed foam inserts has certain potential drawbacks. Specially formed inserts may be time-consuming to fit onto the article(s), which is a potential disadvantage, if the speed of the packaging process is important. In addition, polystyrene foam is not an ecologically advantageous material, since it does not biodegrade, is not made from recycled materials and is, itself, not easily recycled.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for packaging fragile articles so that they are well protected against shock, but which does not utilize polystyrene foam inserts.
A potential substitute material for providing shock isolation packaging is corrugated paperboard. Corrugated paperboard is less expensive than polystyrene foam, and is believed to be less of a potential fire hazard, which is a significant consideration when large quantities of packages are stored in a warehouse environment. In addition, corrugated paperboard may be shipped in flat form and folded into operational configuration at the point of use, thus leading to lower shipping and storage costs.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for supporting an article within a container which is a suitable substitute for extruded polystyrene foam inserts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging apparatus which is readily and easily constructed and easily packed and unpacked, with the article to be protected, within a container.
Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging apparatus, configured from an environmentally appropriate material, which can provide shock protection of equal effectiveness to polystyrene foam inserts.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings.